1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting and demounting a film on the color separation pictures unit, such as a color scanner, and more particularly to an apparatus for such kind allowing the operation in a lighted room.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is necessary to mount unexposed films on the color picture separation unit, such as a color scanner, and when the films are exposed they must be demounted therefrom for the developing process. Referring to FIG. 5, the common practice of mounting and demounting films will be described:
To mount a film 8 on a drum 5, a cover 32 of a recording chamber 4 is opened, the film 8 is taken out of a cassette in red light, and mounted on the drum 5.
The film has holes previously made along its edge 8a. The drum 5 has pins 5a transversely produced, and when the film 8 is placed on the drum, the pins 5a are fitted in the respective holes so as to fix the film on the peripheral surface of the drum 5. Then a switch 33 is turned on to rotate the drum, during which the film is under suction provided through a number of pores produced on the peripheral surface of the drum 5. There is provided a roller 34, commonly called a squeezing roller, which presses the film 8 to the drum in rotation. When one rotation is finished, the drum 5 stops.
When the film 8 is to be demounted from the drum 5, the operation is also carried out in red light. The films are collected in a casing, and sent to the developing process.
Recently a dot generator has been developed, which can electronically produce clear halftone dots of high quality, and for this generator a helium-neon laser beam is employed. In such cases a dark green lamp is used, under which it is so dark that the operator must take time before his eyes get used to darkness.
To solve the problem encountered in handling the film in darkness, the invention disclosed in Japanese Kokoku 52-42086 has provided a solution:
According to the disclosure a cassette containing unexposed film is fixed at a point adjacent to the drum, and the operator operates a handle so as to rotate the drum, during which the film is automatically mounted on or demounted from the drum.
The use of a safety lamp spoils the working conditions, and when it is dark, it takes time before the operator's eyes get used to darkness. When the scanner as a whole or its recording section alone is located in a dark room a partition and ancillary equipment, such as lighting equipment, switches, must be provided on each apparatus.
The apparatus disclosed in Japanese Kokoku 52-42086 is disadvantageous in that the construction is likely to become complicated, and is liable to breakdowns. Another disadvantage is that it is necessary to charge the cassette with films in darkness, and bring it to the recorder.
The present invention aims at solving the problems pointed out with respect to the known system of mounting the demounting film on the color scanner, and has for its object to provide an apparatus for mounting and demounting films on the color scanner in a lighted room, thereby eliminating the necessity for a dark room.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific embodiment are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description and drawings.